The Weakest Link

 

A Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) report warns the Caribbean to prepare for increased drought due to climate change. The Caribbean accounts for seven of the world’s top thirty-six water-stressed countries and FAO defines countries like Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis as water-scarce with less than 1000 m³ freshwater resources per capita. These island nations already encounter drought events every year, with low water availability often impacting agriculture and water resources. Governments and utility companies across the region have implemented measures such as bans on watering lawns and washing vehicles, and water schedules. However, in an interdependent world and considering that drought is intensified by climate change, there is critical work to be done at international level.

A Trinidadian and a Jamaican walked into COP 21…

It’s easy to spot Caribbean people.

They tend to be the ones walking as though they’re dancing, speaking as though every word is part of a melody, and unable to keep their hands out of the conversation. These musical talents were put to use in the ‘1.5 to stay alive’ campaign and the live performances by Aaron Silk (Jamaica) and Adrian Martinez (Belize) became a major attraction. We followed the sound of  music to the Caribbean Pavilion at the UNFCCC’s COP21 in Paris. The song brought a message from the people of the Caribbean asking world leaders to agree to a maximum 1.5 degree temperature limit in order to give us a fighting chance against climate change.

¿Fenómeno del Niño? Sí, claro y ¿las energías renovables?

 Written by – Xiomara Acevedo

Extraer, extraer y extraer uno de los verbos preferidos en cuanto a las tendencias de desarrollo económico de América latina. Colombia sin ser la excepción también debe generar el debate sobre la sostenibilidad a futuro de este tipo de visiones que priorizan la acumulación de dinero en detrimento de la salud y el ambiente de sano de cientos de comunidades. Y no solo es dinero, el extractivismo también deja una cuota en la atmósfera cuyos impactos más de una/o sentimos en el país.

De seguro usted ya escuchó que en el país están el 60% de los páramos del mundo e incluso el más imponente: El de Sumapaz. Los páramos son áreas eco sistémicas que aseguran el agua en el país. Sencillo. A pesar de esto, la minería en los páramos es una realidad a lo largo del país puesto que la facultad de decidir o no si se extraía se sopeso en términos de “crecimiento económico”. Sin embargo, hace unos días nos enteramos que la Corte tumbó el artículo 51 del Plan de Desarrollo, así que esas tales “licencias ambientales exprés” no es que no existan sino que ya no deben figurar tan “rápidamente y a la ligera”.

Guiar hacia un desarrollo resiliente es el compromiso internacional asumido por Colombia en su contribución nacional y determinada (NDC) ante la Convención Marco de Cambio Climático de Naciones Unidas la cual presentó 2 meses antes de la COP21. Reducir sus emisiones en al menos un 20% hacia 2030 e introducir una serie de cambios en las actividades sectoriales que más GEI (gases de efecto invernadero) producen son varias de las apuestas.

Renewable Energy is the bombdiggity

Let’s face it, fossil fuels are failing.

Over the last 18 months, the price of oil has dropped by nearly 70 percent to a recent $32 USD per barrel, and analysts predict further decline. Royal Dutch Shell, Europe’s largest oil company, has reported its lowest annual income in over a decade, the world’s largest oil company, ExxonMobil, has reported its smallest quarterly profit in more than a decade, and British Petroleum’s 2015 loss was its biggest ever. This may sour the caviar and foie gras of some but it signals great news for the climate change movement, and progress in this movement equals a host of advantages for the earth and all those who inhabit it. For instance, as oil and gas tycoons scramble to stabilise their bottom line, investors are turning toward alternative forms of energy.

The renewable revolution is happening.

Climate vulnerable and fossil fuel dependent

Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) contributes less than 1.0% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Nevertheless, its annual emissions per capita ranks second in the world, surpassed only by Qatar. The islands’ hydrocarbon industry has been the pillar of its economy for over one hundred years. However, cracks are turning into gaping holes in this pillar.

Similar to other small island developing states, we are faced with the climate change challenge. We are vulnerable to the impacts of increased temperatures, rising sea level, coastal erosion, drought, intense and more frequent weather storms and hurricanes, and the introduction and spread of more diseases.

At the same time, the economy is suffering due to global fossil fuel divestment, which is taking critical foreign investment out of our pockets. The world is beginning to turn its back on fossil fuels, slamming T&T’s economic pillar with a sledgehammer. The hydrocarbon industry, which accounted for 42% of GDP in 2014 is pulling in less and less revenue due to falling prices and we have experienced four consecutive quarters of negative growth – an official recession.

It seems to be a contradiction of severe proportions. Do we, A, hold on to what we know, continue explorations in order to further pillage Earth and emit toxic gases into the air,  killing ourselves slowly? Or B, step onto the divestment train?

Without a doubt, I choose B. Why? We need a paradigm shift and we need it now. As a matter of fact, the shift is overdue. 

Economic incentive for fossil fuel divestment

 Written by – Daryll Griffith

When you think of the Caribbean islands you think of sandy beaches filled with palm trees and rich biodiversity. This imagery is not entirely wrong, however, the Caribbean has a history that is deeply rooted in the production and consumption of fossil fuels. The Caribbean region has been involved in the exploration of oil for over one hundred years and while most of its nations are net importers of energy, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), is the largest oil producer in the Caribbean and one of the largest natural gas producers in the Western Hemisphere.

Focusing on the imagery of palm trees swaying in the Caribbean breeze and the abundance of sunlight, it’s hard to imagine why there hasn’t been more emphasis on these alternatives in the past to provide the energy we need. The reasons are tied to Development Economics and History in the Caribbean.

The graphs below show the relationship between the rising and falling prices of both Oil and Natural Gas compared to a graph of total Government Revenues for T&T from all sectors over a period of twenty-three years. Looking at the fluctuations it’s noticeable that there is a positive relationship between energy prices and Total Revenue.

Advanced incite into climate change adaptation

Caribbean countries are already facing the effects of climate change.

According to a report published in 2014 by the Inter-American Development Bank, Trinidad and Tobago will undergo higher tropical storm frequency and the effects will worsen. In addition, we will encounter sea level rise and more frequent and intense droughts.

Indeed, in 2015, the region recorded its most severe drought in five years. With sporadic rainfall and the strongest El Niño on record gaining strength, we have seen the land parching before our eyes and felt the heat stinging our backs. Island countries are dangerously vulnerable to rising sea levels. Our lands are disappearing as waters encroach, forcing inhabitants out of their homes. Standing at ground zero, the effects of climate change are real and excessively high compared to our capacity to address them. For these reasons, adaptation to climate change is needed to reduce the vulnerability of developing countries to the existing effects of climate change.

One young, Trinidadian woman who strongly agrees with this is Petal Quamina. Speaking with Petal on one of those rare rainy days warmed my heart. From the get-go, her strong passion for changing the way people think about adaptation to climate change was evident.

“I believe exposure to climate adaptation techniques is important, but we need to reach our youth, our future. My overall goal is to be in a position to include young people in establishing and creating a society that can sustain itself in light of climate change, ” Petal informed me, brimming with ideas for taking climate action. Ideas which authorities need to listen to.

This  Trini woman is not leaving her ideas on paper.

Post COP 21: A world in transition

The current model we are operating in is crucially unsustainable for the long-term survival of the human race. Impacts of climate change such as droughts, intense storms, and sea level rise have accelerated extensively. However, we are in a transformational moment – The Paris moment.

It presents an opportunity to create a different world. One where people’s lives could be significantly better, through promoting cleaner and more efficient methods of powering growth.

After conflicting opinions appended an extra day of negotiations to COP21 in Paris, 196 countries have produced a final agreement. This may bring us closer to putting the ghosts of the industrial revolution six feet under. Countries seem to be largely satisfied with the language of the text and agreed to work on the Paris document as a pathway to a green future.  

Will The Paris Agreement save us from climate change and provide a stable, healthy, and prosperous future for people around the world? These are the outcomes of the key focus areas.

Denying 1.5°C is Denying Human Rights

Reggae artiste Sean Paul stated at COP21 in Paris that “Jamaica is currently suffering from so many bushfires and drought because of climate change. It’s a lot of carbon in the air, this problem needs to stop.”

It truly does, and there is no time for deferrals.

This explains why in response to a new draft of the agreement, Maldives, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), stated that loss and damage should stand on its own, there needs to be clearer language regarding money to assist with adaptation, and 1.5 degrees Celsius is the only option. This statement echoes the stance of over one hundred vulnerable countries at the UN climate negotiations.

No liability in Loss & Damage

The French Presidency submitted a new version of the draft text for the Paris agreement one hour ago. The new draft is just two pages smaller than the previous one, but contains way less brackets: reduced to 50, compared to 367 in the last version.

Nevertheless, the most complex issues will need further discussion in the next hours. These have to do with the firewall that marks the differentiation between developed and developing countries, which will in turn define the level of ambition and the finance mechanism for adaptation and loss and damage.

Although there is no mention of a clear financial mechanism to address payments for loss and damage, options presented in the new draft appear more concise. Among others, unbracketed implementation approaches include early warning systems, comprehensive risk management and assessment, climate risk facilities, and climate risk pooling.